Mechanized insertion of radio tube sockets



July 10, 1962 w. GLUCK 3,043,001

MECHANIZED INSERTION OF RADIO TUBE SOCKETS Original Filed April 20, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. F/G. 5 WILLIAM GLUCK BY W! W ATT NEY July 10, 1962 w. GLUCK 3,043,001

7 MECHANIZED INSERTION OF RADIO TUBE SOCKETS Original Filed April 20, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIIIIA "/40 INVENTOR.

WILLIAM GLUCK 3 i BY i 7- '1 1 JJ M AT ORNEY July 10, 1962 w. GLUCK MECHANIZED INSERTION OF RADIO TUBE SOCKETS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed April 20, 1956 INVENTOR. WILLIAM GLUCK ATTOR EY N\\ .QMN

July 10, 1962 w. GLUCK 3,043,001

MECHANIZED INSERTION 0F RADIO TUBE SOCKETS Original Filed April 20, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR, WILLIAM GLUCK ATT RNEY July 10, 1962 w. GLUCK MECHANIZED INSERTION OF RADIO TUBE SOCKETS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed April 20, 1956 FIG. 25 4s INVENTOR. WILLIAM GLUCK BY ATTORNEY July 10, 1962 w. GLUCK 3,043,001

MECHANIZED INSERTION OF RADIO TUBE SOCKETS Original Filed April 20, 1956 Y 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 II VVENTOR. WILLIAM GLUCK x ATTORNEY United States Patent $343,061 MECHANIZED WSERTIGN OF RADIO TUBE SGQKETS Wil iam Gluck, Bronx, N.Y., assignor to Industrial Electronic Hardware Corp., a corporation of New York Original application Apr. 20, 1956, Ser. No. 579,664, now Patent No. 2,962,690, dated Nov. 29, 1960. Divided and this application Sept. 26, 1958, Ser. No. 763,512

13 Claims. (Cl. 29-203) This invention relates to sockets for the reception of electron emission tubes, and other components having pins for connection purposes, hereinafter for convenience called simply radio tubes, and relates more particularly to mechanized insertion of such sockets.

The primary object of the present invention is to generally improve the mechanized insertion of sockets into a board, chassis, panel or the like. A more particular object is to improve the insertion of sockets into printed circuit boards.

A related object is to improve the handling, storage and shipment of sockets, with a view to avoiding tangling together of the sockets, and with a view to avoiding the need for hoppering of sockets when arranging for mechanized insertion of the same. These objects are fulfilled generally by providing a connected series of finished or substantially finished sockets which may be handled as a unit or as a stick of sockets. Still another object is to provide such a sick of sockets in which .the sockets are disposed in superposed or stacked relation, and in which they are held together, preferably by a snap engagement, although a reslient frictional or slip engagement might be employed. In accordance with a further feature and object of the invention, the parts of the sockets are so related as to provide a relatively rigid stick of sockets.

Further objects center about the mechanism for inserting the sockets, and are to provide a suitable magazine for the sockets; suitable setting jaws to seize and insert the lowermost socket of the stack; suitable retention or/ and feed claws to hold the stack while the lowermost socket is separated therefrom, and to lower or feed the stack a distance corresponding to one socket during each cycle of operation. In accordance with still another object, the mechanism is formed as a machine head, the parts of which are mounted on and supported by a relatively long, generally horizontal arm having a Width only slightly greater than the diameter of the socket, and the upright magazine and setting mechanism are disposed at the very end of the arm, while the opposite orrear end of the arm is adapted to be fixedly mounted. The mechanism is so designed as to be confined within the outline of the arm, as viewed in plan, so that a number of such heads may be disposed in close proximity for the simultaneous insertion of sockets into a board requiring sockets in close proximity.

The socket and the stick of sockets are not claimed herein. The present application has claims directed to the mechanism for inserting the sockets and is a division of my parent application Serial No. 579,664, filed April 20, 1956, since issued on November 29, 1960 as Patent 2,962,690, which has claims directed to the socket and the stick of sockets, but no claims directed to the mechanism.

To accomplish the foregoing general objects, and other more specific objects which will hereinafter appear, my invention resides in the novel elements, and their relation one to another, as are hereinafter more specifically described in the following specification. The specification is accompanied by drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical elevation of a fragmentary portion 3,043,001 Patented July 10, 1962 "ice of a stick of connected sockets embodying features of my invention;

FIG. 2 is explanatory of the manner of use of the socket;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the low r end of the center ground shield;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section at one of the terminal posts of superposed sockets;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section through a socket and part of a subjacent socket, taken approximately in the plane of the line 5-5 of FIG. 5A, but drawn to enlarged scale;

FIG. 5A is a plan view of the socket;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary development of the lower end of the blank for the center ground shield;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevation, similar to FIG. 1, but showing a modification;

FIG. 8 is a vertical section through a socket inserting head embodying features of my invention;

FIG. 9 is a horizontal section taken approximately in the plane of the line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a horizontal section taken approximately in the plane of the line 16-10 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary horizontal sectiondrawn to enlarged scale, and taken approximately in the plane of the line 11-11of FIG. 8;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary horizontal section drawn to enlarged scale, and taken approximately in the plane of the line 12-12 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken approximately in the plane of the line 13-13 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 14 is a horizontal section taken approximately in the plane of the line 14-14- of FIG. 8, to show the setting jaws;

FIG. 15 is a vertical elevation showing a reciprocable cam member for operating the socket retention and feed aws;

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary section taken approximately in the plane of the line 16-16 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary vertical section taken approximately in the plane of the line 17-17 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing an electrical contact forming a part of the machine;

FIG. 19 is a fragmentary section taken approximately in the plane of the line 19-19, of FIG. 8, and explanatory of a part of the mechanism;

FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram developing three claws, for explanatory purposes;

FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram explanatory of the action of the cam mechanism controlling the setting jaws during their downward movement;

FIG. 22 is a schematic diagram explanatory of the action of the cam mechanism controlling the setting jaws during their upward movement;

FIG. 23 is a diagram tracing the motion of the setting aws;

FIG. 24 is a plan view of one of the retention and feed claws;

FIGS. 25 through 28 show in schematic fashion variant ways in which multiple heads may be disposed for the simultaneous insertion of sockets in close proximity; and

FIG. 29 is a schematic wiring and piping diagram.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 8 and 29, the socket inserting machine comprises a magazine 32 holding a series of sockets, a means 34 to push the endmost socket downwardly into a board (not shown) while separating the endmost socket from the next socket, and a means at 36 to feed the series of sockets a distance corresponding to one socket, preparatory to the next socket insertion cycle. In the machine here illustrated the magazine 32 is an upright tubular magazine holding a superposed stack of sockets, and the means 36 acts as a retention and feed means which utilizes gravitational movement of the sockets.

, Referring next to FIG. 9, the machine preferably comprises a relatively long, generally horizontal arm 38 having a width only slightly greater than the diameter of the socket being handled. The magazine 32 is disposed above thearm very close to the free forward end of the arm, the rear end 4% being adapted to be fixedly mounted. The magazine 32 and all of the mechanism of the machine are confined within the outline of the arm resented schematically by the corners 50 of a base 52.

Exaggerated clearance has been shown at the corners merely for clarity. FIGS. 26, 27 and 28 show variant ways in which the insertion heads may be diwosed, with a view to locating sockets in any desired position required by the layout of the board receiving the same.

' I preliminarily provide a connected series of sockets which may be handled as a unit or stick. A piece of such a stick of sockets is shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing, it comprising superposed sockets 54, S6, 58, 6t 62, etc. Each socket comprises an insulation body 64, 66

(FIG. 2) carrying a ring of metal contacts and also a center ground shield 68. Each of the contacts preferably comprises a pin grip portion 76 (FIG. and a terminal portion 72 connected by a bridge portion 74. The center ground shield 68 is provided with a means 76 to secure it to ya subjacent socket 78. This could be a frictional engagement, but more preferably is a snap fit.

The shield 68 is a hollow tubular member, and its lower end is made pointed, resiliently compressible, and undercut. It is so dimensioned as to be received in the upper end 80 of the shield of the subjacent socket 78 with a snap fit. For this purpose the blank from which the center shield 68 is formed is appropriately shaped, one suitable shape being shown at 82 in FIG. 6. The blank is provided with points 84 separated by slots 86, and when the lower end is formed into finished configuration the points 84 are spaced by slots at 86, as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing. This makes the lower end of the shield resiliently compressible. In addition it is preferably provided with a ridge forming an undercut, as shown at 88 in FIGS. 2 and S, and this cooperates with a mating channel of the next lower shield, which has a bead shown at 90 (FIG. 5).

The socket here shown is a laminated socket, and the shield is used further as an eyelet to hold the lower and upper laminations 64 and 66 together. The bead 90 is preliminarily formed on the shield, and after the shield is inserted upwardly through the laminations, the upper end is flanged or riveted outwardly, as shown at 92 in FIG. 5. During this fianging operation the upper end of the shield may be forced into a shape with flats, forrexample, the hexagonal shape shown at 92 in FIG. 5A. This has the advantage of holding the wafers 64 and 66 against relative rotation. The formation of the bead 90 also provides a channel or inwardly directed ledge or undercut which cooperates with the shoulder 88 of the resilient end 76 of the next shield, so that they may be engaged not merely with a frictional engagement, but with a snap fit.

The axial dimension of the shield 68 is greater than that of the terminal posts 72. The length of shield 68 is preferably reduced to an amount which will bring the posts 72 into engagement with the next lower socket, thereby steadying the sockets against one another. This is shown in FIG. 7, in which the center shield 94 is of 4 a such length that the terminal posts 96 of socket 98 just reach the insulation or top wafer 10% of the next lower socket.

However, in accordance with a further feature of the present invention the stiffness of the stick of sockets is further improved by forming a ring of holes in the top .wafer to receive the lower ends of the terminal posts of the next higher socket. Thus referring to FIG. 5A, the top wafer 102 of the preferred socket has a ring of holes 194 disposed directly over the terminal posts. These holes are in addition to the ring of smaller holes 106 pro vided' for the pins of the radio tube, and the center hole 108 provided for the center shield. It will be understood that the socket here shown is for miniature tubes having seven pins, spaced for eight pins, the missing pin space serving to properly orient the tube relative to the socket. Because of the missing pin the socket may be provided with a flat side indicated at 110. In the socket shown in FIG. 7 there is no outer ring of holes 104, but in the socket shown in FIGS. 1 through 5A such holes are added, and the lower ends 116 (FIG. 4) of the terminal posts 72 are received for a short distance in the holes 104 (FIG. 5). Accordingly the center shield 68 is somewhat shorter in this socket than in the socket of FIG. 7.

Each metal contact is preferably made of a single piece of sheet metal, and comprises a resilient pin grip portion (FIG. 5) of the split sleeve type. The terminal post 72 is made hollow and tubular so that it may be used as a support post, and its lower end is preferably pointed and split to make the same resiliently yieldable, as is best shown in FIG. 4. The split lower end is provided with ridges 118 and 120 which are spaced apart an amount corresponding to the thickness of a piece of insulation used as a printed circuit board, it being understood that the present socket is particularly designed for use with printed circuits which are to be soldered by the so-called pot soldering method.

Referring to FIG. 2, when the socket is inserted in a printed circuit board, indicated in broken lines at 122, the wafers 64, 66 of the socket are disposed above the board 122, as shown. The tube 124 has been only partially inserted as shown in the drawing, and its pins 126 are received in the pin grippers of the metal contacts. Reverting now to FIG. 5, the contacts are loaded on to the lower wafer 64, the grippers 70 being received through an inner ring of holes, and the posts 72 passing through an outer ring of holes, with the connecting bridges 74 disposed over wafer 64. The contacts are held between the Wafers when the upper wafer 66 is added. The inner holes 106 of the upper wafer are in alignment with the pin grippers 70, and the tube pins pass through the holes 106. The outer holes 104 serve no purpose in the socket as such, but serve to receive the lower ends of the posts of the next socket when the sockets are assembled into a stick, as described above.

The sticks of sockets may have any desired length, say 18 inches, and may be boxed, stored, shipped and handled as sticks. Similarly, the sticks are readily loaded into the top of a simple tubular magazine at the inserting station, and the magazine may have any desired length, say four feet, in which case two sticks may be loaded at a time, on top of a fraction of a stick at the bottom of the magazine.

Referring now to FIG. 8 of the drawing, one or more sticks of sockets are loaded into the upright tubular magazine 32. This preferably has a flat at one side to orient the sockets. In the present case theflat is provided by securing a strip 130 inside a cylinder 32, as will be clear also from inspection of FIG. 9 The strip may be held in position by small screws or rivets, no shown. The magazine tube is held against axial movement in any desired fashion, as by means of snap or friction rings shown at 134 and 136 in FIG. 8. The magazine is preferably rotatably adjustable, and the jaw and claw mechanism orientation of the socket, so that the socket may be oriented as required by the board in which it is received. Thus in FIG. 26, for example, the layout of the circuit board 48 may require not only that the three sockets be in close proximity, but also that they be in different orientation. The magazine is held against rotation, as by means of a clamp screw or set screw, not shown.

The lowermost socket is seized and inserted by jaws 34 previously mentioned. These jaws are best shown in FIG. 14, which shows how the jaws 34 are carried at the lower ends of vertical shafts or rods 140, so that the jaws may be oscillated horizontally to open or close the same, as shown by the broken line position 34', in addition to being reciprocated vertically, as shown at 34' in FIG. 8. The working ends of the jaws have an inverted L shape (FIG. 8), thus providing a positive force on a socket being pushed downward. The jaws may be described as a means disposed outside of the magazine and movable in a direction longitudinal of the magazine for operating on the peripheral portion of the lowermost socket.

Thejaw rods 140 pass upward through the arm 38, and finally upward through a top bracket 142, which is parallel to and preferably of the same width as the arm 33, but not as long in rearward direction. The jaw rods 140 are actuated by motor means indicated at 144. In the present case this is an air cylinder with a double acting piston within the cylinder, and accordingly there are upper and lower connections 146 and 148 for air pipes. The lower end of cylinder 144 is secured in upper bracket 142, as by a screw connection 150. The piston rod 152 is connected by arms 154 to the jaw rods 1140.

Referring now to FIG. 9 of the drawing, arms 154 are secured to the jaw rods 140, as by means of crosspins, not shown. The rear ends 156 of the arms 154 act as cam followers, for a purpose later described. The intermediate portion of the arms 154 is received between top and bottom plates 158, 159 (FIG. 8), which in turn are secured in spaced relation on the piston rod 152.. It will thus be seen that the piston moves the arms 154 together with the jaw rods 140 vertically for socket insertion, without, however, interfering with any desired sideward osciilation of the arms 154 needed to control the opening or closing of the jaws through the rods 14%, and that is provided by the action of the cam followers 156, next described.

The cam followers 156 cooperate with movable cam surfaces formed at the free ends of a pair of bypass cam lever 161 (FIGS. 8 and 9) which are movable about a center 162, between an outer position shown in solid lines in FIG. 9, and an inner position 161' shown in dotted lines. The cam levers 161 are normally urged outward by a compression spring 164 disposed between the levers, with its ends seated in blind holes in the levers.

Reverting now to FIG. 8, it will be seen that the cam levers 161 are mounted on a support rod 162, and are held at desired elevation by suitable collars 165. The location of compression spring 164 is also shown, as well as the cam surfaces 160 at the free ends of levers 161 which cooperate with the cam follower surfaces 156 formed at the ends of the arms 154. The latter are normally urged apart by a compression spring located at 168, and shown also in FIG. 9.

To understand the bypass cam action it should be understood that the cam surfaces, when viewed in fore-and-aft direction, are preferably diamond-shaped, as indicated in FIGS. 21 and 22. In FIG. 21 the cam followers are indicated at 156. The ends of the cam levers are indicated at 160 with cross hatching. It must be kept in mind that the cams 160 are movable horizontally but not vertically. The followers 156 are movable horizontally, and also vertically between positions above and below the cams 160. The cams move between a spread position shown in solid lines in FIG. 9, at which time the motion of the levers 161 is limited by the sides of the housing, and a closed position shown in broken lines, at which time the levers 161 bear against one another. Thus in the course of the downward movement shown in FIG. 21, when followers 156 move down to the dotted position 156, they come outside the cams 160 and move the latter idly inward, as shown by the change from the solid line position 160 to the dotted line position 160' in FIG. 21. The followers are spread apart by the compression spring 168 shown in FIG. 9, and this spread corresponds to a closing of the jaws 34, as shown in solid lines in FIG. 14, so that they grip a socket seized therebetween. The grip is a resilient grip dependent on the strength of the compression spring 168.

When the followers move upward from the solid line position 156 (FIG. 22), it will be seen that they engage the cams 160 and are moved together thereby. This is shown by the change inward or horizontally at the broken line position 156 where the followers are guided and forced to ride between the cams 161}, the latter then being at maximum spread position. Of course, when the followers 156 reach a position higher than the cams 169 they promptly spring apart to the spread position shown at 156'. This completes the cycle which would repeat during a downward stroke, as shown in FIG. 21, and again during an upward stroke, as shown in FIG. 22.

Additional cam surfaces may be provided to sl ghtly free the grip of the jaws on the socket when the socket is in lowermost position. These stationary cam surfaces are shown at 170 in FIG. 19, and when the followers 156 reach the cams 170 they are moved slightly inward. The cams are also shown at 170 in FIG. 10, and it will be understood that these are located directly above the lower bracket 172, as shown at 170 in FIG. 8. This corresponds to the bottom of the socket setting stroke, as indicated in broken lines at 152, 154', 156'.

The resulting movement of the clamping jaws is schematically represented in FIG. 23, in which it will be seen that the jaws are urged together during their downward movement from the point 1 to the point 2, whereupon they are spread slightly at the point 3 and move down to point 4. When the jaws rise they come together slightly from the point 3 to the point 2 and then remain together (with no socket therebetween) to the point 5, when they are spread apart to the point 6, and then remain apart during their rise to the point 7, whereupon they again come together to the point 1. The region from point 6 to point 7 straddles the location of the lowermost socket in the magazine, and the jaws are spread well apart in order to clear the lowermost socket despite the inverted L shape of the jaw section shown at 34 in FIG. 8. When the jaws come together at the top of their stroke they are astride the lowermost socket, and grip it preparatory to the downward insertion stroke. In terms of FIGS. 21 and 22, the followers 156 are spread apart (and the jaws are together) most of the time. The followers are forced together (and the jaws are forced apart) only during the limited period at the middle of FIG. 22 when the followers are passing between the cam levers. They are pressed together slightly (and the jaws apart slightly) at the bottom of the setting stroke.

The sockets are retained and fed by suitable means, exemplified in this case by a feed claw 36 best shown in FIG. 24. A single claw would suflice, but it is preferred to employ multiple claws, and in the present case there are three claws which completely surround the socket. This has the advantage of making the action independent of the orientation of the socket despite the flat at one side. The claw is pivoted at and has arms 181 and 182. The arm 181 has an inverted L section, while the arm 182 has an upright L section. Thus if the claw is moved slightly clockwise the higher ledge 183 comes into the magazine in the path of the sockets, and the lower ledge 184 comes outside the path of the sockets, while if the claw is moved counter-clockwise the lower ledge 184 comes into the path of the sockets, and the higher ledge 183 is moved out of the path of the sockets.

'The difference in height of the top surfaces of the ledges 183 and 184 is preferably equal to substantially one-half the pitch or spacing of the sockets in the maga-v zine. In the present case the spacing of the sockets shown in FIG. 1 is two-fifths of an inch, and the ledges 183 and 184 difier in vertical height by one-fifth of an inch. By moving the claw through one complete oscillation the stack will be lowered first one-fifth inch and again one-fifth inch, thus moving downward a distance corresponding to one socket. The claw is provided with a cam follower pin 186 which projects upward and cooperates with a short helical cam surface to oscillate the claw.

Referring now to FIG. 13 of the drawing, there are three such claws pivoted, respectively, at 180, 180' and 188", and the cam follower pin 186 is received in a cam groove formed at the lower end of one leg 188 of a cam cylinder. This cylinder has three legs in all, indicated at 188, 188', and 188". Legs 188 and 188' are also shown in FIG. 8, and are formed at the lower end of a cam cylinder190, which is coaxial with the magazine tube 32. The cylinder 190 has a cam follower roller 192 projecting radially therefrom.

Referring now to FIG. 11, it'will be seen that cam follower roller 192 of cam cylinder 1% is. received in a cam groove formed in a vertically reciprocable cam strip 194. This cam strip 194 is separately shown in FIG. 15, and upper and lower positions of the roller or follower are shown at 192 and 1%. As a precautionary matter the cam slot 196 of strip 194 may be made up of two resilient spring wires indicated at 198 and 208. These are mounted in cantilever, the wire 198 being secured at its lower end 202 and the wire 280 being secured at its upper end 204. i

The strip 194 is vertically slidable through the main support arm 38, along with the jaw rods 148, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. Referring to FIG. 8 the cam strip 194 is secured at its upper end by a screw 2% to a block 208 and is thereby clamped to the jaw rods 148. The block 208 is better shown in FIG. 16, as well as the manner in'which strip 194 is locked thereto and to the jaw rods 140. The vertical movement of the jaw rods is accompanied by a vertical movement of the cam strip 194, thus oscillating the cam follower roller 192 (FIG. 11) from the solid line position to the broken line position and back again. This in turn oscillates the cam cylinder 199, with its three cam legs 188 and their helical cam slots, thereby oscillating the three claws between the positions shown in solid and broken lines in FIG. 13. Each insertion of a socket is accompanied by downward feed of the stack to bring a new socket into position to be gripped by the setting jaws 34. e

These claws may be described as releasable means engaging a socket higher than the bottom socket to hold.

the stack of sockets against downward movement.

FIG. 12 shows how the main support arm 38 is recessed or cut away at 210 and 211 to clear the cam legs 188, 188' and 188" of the cam cylinder, while holding the latter to a dimension no greater than that of the end of the arm 38. The latter is itself held as closely as practicable to the socket diameter, and in the present case in which the sockets have a diameter of the arm 38 has a width of 1%.

In FIG. 24 it will be seen that-each claw extends more than halfway around the socket. Nevertheless it is possible to provide three claws because arm 181 is higher than arm 182, and the lower arm of one claw comes beneath the higher arm of the other. This is schematically shown in FIG. ofthe drawing, which is a schematic development of the circumference of the claws. The arrangement is also shown in FIG. 17, in which the parts 181, 183 represent the higher arm of claw 36, while the parts 182', 184 represent the lower arm of a next claw. The transition step between an upper arm and alower arm of a single claw is shown at 212, and this is in the region of the pivot of the claw.

The waters of a socket are shown at 64, 66 where they would rest on the upper ledges 183 when the latter are inward, as shown in broken lines. When the claws shift, the upper ledges'are moved outward, as shown in solid lines, and the wafers drop to an intermediate position shown in broken lines at 64', 66, where they rest on the lower ledges, when the latter are inward as shown in solid lines. When the claws move back to initial position the wafers drop to bottom position 64", 66" which position is determined by the fact that the next higher socket (the second from the bottom) is then arrested at the solid line position 64, 66 by the upper ledges of the claws, which meanwhile were moved inward while the lowerv ledges were moved outward. The stack is supported by the second socket from the bottom (it might be the third or fourth from the bottom). This fully exposes the lowermost socket, and makes it openly accessible to the setting jaws 34, without requiring that the setting jaws pass around the retention claws.

To insure that the stack has in fact moved downward to present a new socket to the jaws, I provide one or more electrical contacts which act as sensing devices responsive to the downward passage of the sockets. Such a contact is shown at 214 in FIG. 8, and separately in FIG. 18. The inwardly stepped part 216 is in the path of the sockets, and is preceded by a sloping portion 218. When the sockets move down, thecontact spring 214 moves outward and then again springs inward. I prefer to employ two 'such contacts, apart, as shown in FIGS. 9

and 10, to permit any orientation of thesocket despite its flat side.

The contacts are insulatedly mounted near the magazine, and their lower tips 220 bear against the outside of the cam cylinder, which is electrically at ground potential. Downward movement of a socket momentarily breaks the electrical circuit through the spring contact. This is utilized in a circuit, subsequently described, to disable the drive mechanism in the event that no socket is fed to the jaw station. The conductors for this interlock or sensor circuit are indicated at 222 in FIG. 8 leading to a connector 224. 7

Additional conductors 226 lead to connector 224, and these conductors connect to a microswitch 228. The latter is actuated by a roller arm 230, which in turn is engaged by the plate 159 secured to piston rod 150. The air supply to the air cylinder 144 is controlled by a solenoid operated valve, and the air supply is shifted from the upper end of the cylinder to the lower end of the cyinder by actuation of microswitch 228, which marks the termination of the downward stroke, corresponding to full insertion of the socket into a board receiving the same.

The mechanism shown in FIG. 8 is preferably housed within a housing formed by top bracket 1 42 and bottom bracket 172 spaced by a rear plate 234 and side plates 236. The rear and side plates are best shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. In addition a U-shaped piece of sheet metal 238 forms an extension of the sides 236, and is wrapped around the magazine at the front of the machine. The parts are held assembled by suitable screws or like fastening means. 8

Referring now to FIG. 29, the female connector 224 previously referred to receives a male connector 240 with conductors leading to a small electrical panel 242, which may be located somewhat remote from the socket inserting head shown at the left of the diagram, this head comprising the arm 38, magazine 32, air cylinder 144, housing 238, and jaws 34. The compressed air hoses leading to air cylinder 144 are shown at 244 and 246. The apparatus is started by a trigger switch or button 250, and this may be located on panel 242 if the panel is near the machine, but it may be remote from the panel if the panel is remote from the machine. Conductors 251 provide for a remote start switch, which may be 10- 9. cated at any convenient point. It may be arranged for manual operation if the machine is to be started manually. A modified arrangement is to provide a foot switch, thus leaving the hands of the operator free to handle the printed circuit boards receiving the sockets. Another arrangement provides an automatic switch at the insertion station beneath the printed circuit board, so that when the board is placed in its fixture and pressed downward, that operation itself starts the machine for socket insertion. Moreover, the present machine may be used in a fully mechanized arrangement in which the boards are moved along intermittently by a conveyor chain, and

in such case the chain itself may trip a starting switch when the board has been moved into position beneath one or more heads.

The solenoid operated air valve is shown at 252. This may be a. conventional four-way valve with four main ports; two leading to the air cylinder 144 through the pipes 244 and 246; one connected to the compressed air supply indicated by pipe 254; and thefourth port being open to the atmosphere, as indicated at 256. The solenoid for operating the valve is shown at 258. The power supply circuit is obtained through a conventional plug 260, and the power line may be provided with the usual master switch 262 and fuse 264.

The electrical parts on the head itself are shown in the lower lefthand part of the diagram. Specifically, two of the spring contacts on the magazine are shown at 214 and 214', while the movable contact of the microswitch 228 is shown at 229.

The panel board 242 includes a step-down transformer 266 to provide low voltage current for the microswitch and the contacts 214. This low voltage operates on the coils of relays R1 and R2. Relay R2 is a power relay which controls the solenoid 258' of the air valve 252. Relay R1 is a memory relay which is affected by the contacts 214. The panel board also includes indicator lamps 268, 270 and 272 which may be distinctively colored, say yellow, red, and green, respectively. The green lamp 272 is lighted to show that power switch 262 has been closed and that the machine is alive. The yellow lamp 268 is lighted if the magazine is empty, so that there is no opening and closing of the sensor circuit. The red lamp 270 is lighted if there is malfunction of the circuit, such as sticking of the stack after moving only partway down, so that the sensor circuit opens but does not close again.

For proper functioning of the circuit shown the lamps 268 and 276 permit a flow of current when in series with the relay coils suflicient to hold the relays after they have been energized or closed, but insufficient to close the same after they have opened. In the particular case here shown the output of transformer 266 is approximately 12 volts, and the lamps 268 and 270 have a current flow of approximately one ampere. The relays R1 and R2 require approximately 3 amperes available current to close from open position, but they require only one ampere to stick in closed position after being closed. Thus the lamps 268 and 270 may be in series with the relay coils for holding purposes, but are not in series with the relay coils when the relays are to be operated or closed from open position.

The green lamp 272 is simply across the line as a pilot light, and any 12 volt lamp will do.

The socket insertion force may be regulated by regulating the air pressure, as by use of a pressure regulating valve shown at 253 in FIG. 29.

FIGS. 25-28 show how various heads may be disposed in diflerent ways to meet conditions required by the location of sockets on a board. This applies to sockets which are simultaneously inserted at one station. If the boards are handled by a conveyor chain, the heads may be spread apart at different stations, with the sockets being inserted simultaneously in different boards, but sequentially in any one board.

When a plurality of heads is simultaneously operated at a single station the wiring shown in FIG. 29 may be appropriately modified to take care of the fact that all of the heads are to be started simultaneously by a single trigger switch, yet dilferent heads may respond difierently in respect to the microswitch 228 and the sensor contacts 214.

it is believed that the construction and operation, as well as the advantages, of my inprovements in the mechanized insertion of sockets, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description. It will also be apparent that while I have shown and described the invention in a preferred form, changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as sought to be defined in the following claims. The term radio tube socket is intended to include sockets used in television receivers, and sockets intended to receive transformers, transistors, and other components and connectors having spaced parallel pins such as are used in vacuum tubes.

I claim:

1. A socket inserting machine for inserting radio tube sockets into a board, said machine comprising a magazine holding a series of sockets, means disposed outside of the magazine and movable in a direction longitudinal of the magazine for operating on the peripheral portion of the endmost socket to push the endmost socket into a board while separating the endmost socket from the next socket, releasable means engaging the next socket higher than the bottom socket to hold the stack of sockets against downward movement, and means to feed the series of sockets a distance corresponding to one socket as a part of each socket insertion cycle preparatory to the next socket insertion cycle.

2. A socket inserting machine for inserting radio tube sockets into aboard, said machine comprising an upright tubular magazine holding a superposed stack of sockets, releasable means to hold the stack of sockets against downward movement, means disposed outside of the magazine and movable in a direction longitudinal of the magazine for operating on the peripheral portion of the lowermost socket to grip and push the lowermost socket downwardly into a board while separating the lowermost socket from the next superjacent socket, releasable means engaging the next socket higher than the bottom socket to hold the stack of sockets against downward movement, and means to lower the stack of sockets a distance corresponding to one socket as a part of each socket insertion cycle preparatory to the next socket insertion cycle.

3. A socket inserting head for inserting radio tube sockets into a board, said head comprising a relatively long generally horizontal arm, an upright tubular magazine above said arm, said arm being adapted to be fixedly mounted, said magazine holding a superposed stack of sockets, releasable means to hold the stack of sockets against downward movement, means disposed outside of the magazine and movable in a direction longitudinal of the magazine for operating on the peripheral portion of the lowermost socket to grip and push the lowermost socket downwardly into a board while separating the said lowermost socket from the next superjacent socket, releasable means engaging the next socket higher than the bottom socket to hold the stack of sockets against downward movement, and means to lower the stack of sockets by one socket as a part of each socket insertion cycle preparatory to the next socket insertion cycle.

4. A socket inserting head for inserting radio tube sockets into a board, said head comprising a relatively long generally horizontal arm having a width only slightly greater than the diameter of the sockets, an upright tubular magazine above said am, said arm being adapted to be fixedly mounted, said magazine holding a superposed stack of sockets, releasable means to hold the stack of sockets against downward movement, means disposed outside of the magazine and movable in a direction longitudinal of the magazine for operating on the peripheral portion of the lowermost socket to grip and push the lowermost socket downwardly into a board while separating the said lowermost socket from the next superjacent socket, releasable means engaging the next socket higher than the bottom socket to hold the stack of sockets against I downward movement, and means to lower the stack of simultaneous insertion of sockets into a board requiring sockets in close proximity.

5. A socket inserting head for inserting radio tube sockets into a printed circuit board, said head comprising an arm, an upright tubular magazine above said arm, said magazine holding a superposed stack of connected but releasable sockets, releasable means engaging a socket higher than the bottom socket to hold the stack of sockets against downward movement, means disposed outside of the magazine and movable in a direction longitudinal of the magazine for operating on the peripheral portion of the lowermost socket to grip and push the bottom socket downwardly into a printed circuit board while separating the said bottom socket from the next superjacent socket, and means to lower the stack of sockets by one socket as a part of each socket insertion cycle preparatory to the next socket insertion cycle.

6. A socket inserting head for inserting radio tube sockets into a printed circuit board, said head comprising a relatively long generally horizontal arm having a width only slightly greater than the diameter of the sockets, an upright tubular magazine above said arm at the free forward end of said arm, the rear end being adapted to be fixedly mounted, said magazine holding a superposed stack of connected but releasable sockets, releasable means engaging a socket higher than the bottom socket to hold the stack of sockets against downward movement, means disposed outside of the magazine and movable in a direction longitudinal of the magazine for operating on the peripheral portion of the lowermost socket to grip and push the bottom socket downwardly into a printed circuit board while separating the said bottom socket from the next superjacent socket, and means to lower the stack of sockets by one socket asa part of each socket insertion cycle preparatory to the next socket insertion cycle, said magazine and other mechanism being confined within the outline of the arm as viewed in plan, whereby a number of such heads may be disposed in close proximity for the simultaneous insertion of sockets into a board requiring sockets in close proximity.

7. A socket inserting head for inserting radio tube sockets into a board, said head comprising an arm, an upright tubular magazine above said arm, said magazine holding a superposed stack of sockets, a plurality of transfor or setting jaws for engaging the lowermost socket of the stack and forcing it downward into the board, vertical rods slidably disposed through said arm behind said magazine and carrying said jaws at their lower ends, motor means disposed behind said magazine for vertically reciprocating said rods for a substantial distance needed to deliver the lowermost socket into the board, and camrning means for oscillating the rods to move the jaws together during downward movement and to move the same apart during upward movement, and control means to cause said motor means to put the head through one socket inserting cycle.

8. A socket inserting head for inserting radio tube sockets into a board, said head comprising a relatively long generally horizontal arm having a width only slightly greater than the diameter of the sockets, an upright tubular magazine above said arm at the free forward end of said arm, the rear end of said arm being adapted to be fixedly mounted, said magazine holding a superposed stack of sockets connected to one another with a releas- 12 able engagement, a plurality of transfer or setting jaws for engaging the lowermost socket of the stack and forcing it downward into the board, vertical rods slidably disposed through said arm behind said'magazine and carrying said jaws at their lower ends, motor means disposed behind said magazine for vertically reciprocating said rods for a substantial distance needed to deliver the lowermost socket into the board, and camming means for oscillating the rods to move the jaws together during downward movement and to move the same apart during upward movement, and control means to cause said motor means to put the head through one socket inserting cycle, said magazine, jaws, motor means, and all other mechanism of said head being confined within the outline of the arm as viewed in plan, whereby a number of such heads may be disposed in close proximity for the simultaneous insertion of sockets into a board requiring sockets in close proximity.

9. A socket inserting head for inserting radio tube sockets into a board, said head comprising an arm, an

upright tubular magazine above said arm, said magazine holding a superposed stack of sockets, a plurality of feed claws having an upper ledge on one side and a lower ledge on the other side at a vertical spacing about one-half the vertical spacing of the sockets, a transfer or setting means for engaging the lowermost socket of the stack and forcing it downward into the board, motor means disposed behind said magazine for driving said transfer means, means also driven by said motor means to oscillate said claws at the bottom of the magazine adjacent a socket above the lowermost socket whereby said stack is lowered one socket during one complete oscillation of said feed claws, and control meansto cause said motor means to put the head through one socket inserting cycle.

10. A socket inserting head for inserting radio tube sockets into a board, said head comprising a relatively long generally horizontal arm having a width only slightly greater than the diameter of the sockets, an upright tubular magazine above said arm at the free forward end of said arm, the rear end of said arm being adapted to be fixedly mounted, said magazine holding a superposed stack of sockets connected to one another with a releasable engagement, a plurality of feed claws having an upper ledge on one side and a lower ledge on the other side at a vertical spacing about one-half the vertical spacing of the sockets, a transfer or setting means for engaging the lowermost socket of the stack and forcing it downward into the board, motor means disposed behind said magazine for driving said transfer means, means also driven by said motor means to oscillate said claws at the bottom of the magazine adjacent a socket above the lowermost socket whereby said stack is lowered one socket during one complete oscillation of said feed claws, and control means to cause said motor means to put the head through one socket inserting cycle, said magazine, claws, motor means, and all other'mechanism of said head being confined within the outline of the arm as viewed in plan, whereby .a number of such heads may be disposed in close proximity for the simultaneous insertion of sockets into a board requiring sockets in close proximity.

11. A socket inserting head for inserting radio tube sockets into a printed circuit board, said head comprising an arm, an upright tubular magazine above said am, said magazine holding a superposed stack of sockets, a plurality of pivoted feed claws having an upper ledge on one side and a lower ledge on the other side at a vertical spacing about one-half the vertical spacing of the sockets, a plurality of transfer or setting jaws for engaging the lowermost socket of the stack and forcing it downward into the board, vertical rods slidably disposed and carrying said jaws at their lower ends, motor means disposed behind said magazine for reciprocating said rods, camming means for oscillating the rods to move the jaws together during downward movement and to move the same apart during upward movement, means to oscillate said claws at the bottom of the magazine adjacent a socket above the lowermost socket, whereby said stack is lowered one socket during one complete oscillation of said feed claws, means vertically reciprocable with said jaw rods and serving to actuate said means to oscillate the claws, and control means to cause said motor means to put the head through one inserting cycle.

12. A socket inserting head for inserting radio tube sockets into a printed circuit board, said head comprising a relatively long generally horizontal arm having a width only slightly greater than the diameter of the sockets, an upright tubular magazine above said arm at the free forward end of said arm, the rear end of said arm being adapted to be fixedly mounted, said magazine holding a superposed stack of sockets connected to one another with a releasable engagement, a plurality of pivoted feed claws having an upper ledge on one side and a lower ledge on the other side at a vertical spacing about onehalf the vertical spacing of the sockets, a plurality of transfer or setting jaws for engaging the lowermost socket of the stack and forcing it downward into the board, vertical rods slidably disposed through said arm behind said magazine and carrying said jaws at their lower ends, motor means disposed behind said magazine for reciproeating said rods, oamming means for oscillating the rods to move the jaws together during downward movement and to move the same apart during upward movement, means to oscillate said claws at the bottom of the magazine adjacent a socket above the lowermost socket, whereby said stack is lowered one socket during one complete oscillation of said feed claws, means vertically reciprocable with said jaw rods and serving to actuate said means to oscillate the claws, and control means to cause said motor means to put the head through one inserting I than the bottom socket to hold the stack of sockets against downward movement, means to positively separate the lowermost socket of the stack from the next superjacent socket, means to drivingly insert the separated lowermost socket into a printed circuit board while forcibly separating the lowermost socket from the next superjacent socket, and means to lower the stack of sockets a distance corresponding to one socket as a part of each socket insertion cycle preparatory to the next socket insertion cycle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,303,225 Olson Nov. 24, 1942 2,349,956 Gliss May 30, 1944 2,692,424 Habel Oct. 26, 1954 2,820,283 Anderson Jan. 21, 1958 2,835,959 Martines May 27, 1958 2,850,737 Walsh Sept. 9, 1958 2,852,899 Murrell Sept. 23, 1958 2,856,674 Hill Oct. 21, 1958 2,878,556 Heidergott Mar. 24, 1959 2,928,165 Carlzen Mar. 15, 1960 

